US Air Force Moves Collaborative Combat Aircraft Into Operational Testing With YFQ-44A and FQ-42 Vengeance
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
The US Air Force has received its first two Collaborative Combat Aircraft at Creech Air Force Base, where the YFQ-44A Fury and YFQ-42A Vengeance will enter operational experimentation with the Experimental Operations Unit. The move brings both platforms into a new phase focused on how uncrewed semi-autonomous aircraft can operate alongside crewed combat aircraft in contested environments.
Anduril delivered the YFQ-44A Fury and General Atomics delivered the YFQ-42A Vengeance to Creech Air Force Base in Nevada for testing under Air Combat Command. The aircraft will refine employment concepts, assess integration with piloted platforms, and determine how Collaborative Combat Aircraft could be incorporated into future combat operations.
Related News: Anduril YFQ-44A Fury Flies in Formation With F-35s During U.S. Air Force Autonomous Combat Aircraft Testing
The General Atomics YFQ-42A top and Anduril YFQ-44A Fury bottom are the two Collaborative Combat Aircraft selected for the U.S. Air Force CCA Increment 1 program and are now entering operational experimentation. (Picture source: US DoD)
The US Air Force is seeking to place the platforms in the hands of operators at an early stage rather than wait for a fully fixed configuration, then adjust doctrine, support arrangements and mission architecture based on accumulated experience. The Experimental Operations Unit is tasked with determining how CCAs will be organized, maintained, armed and controlled within a force structure combining crewed fighters, command assets and distributed sensors.
In an announcement published on September 24, 2026, the US Air Force said this new phase is intended to let operators evaluate both platforms directly under conditions representative of future air operations. The YFQ-44A Fury already offers a flight envelope close to that of a light combat aircraft. Classified as a US Group 5 air vehicle, it is powered by a single jet engine, can reach speeds of up to Mach 0.95, and is designed to withstand load factors of up to 9 g. Its open and modular architecture allows the integration of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance payloads, electronic warfare equipment and communications relay systems. The Lattice for Mission Autonomy software manages functions including navigation, route planning, tactical information sharing and coordination between multiple aircraft.
Weapons integration provides another indication of the program’s maturity. On July 15, 2026, the Fury conducted a live launch of an AIM-120 AMRAAM after receiving a digital target track, with final engagement authorization provided by an operator. Publicly observed configurations show two underwing pylons, each capable of carrying an AIM-120 or a CATM-120C training missile. The CCA can therefore increase the number of air-to-air weapons available to a formation without adding another crewed fighter. The YFQ-42A follows a different design approach. Its airframe places greater emphasis on reduced observability, with a blended fuselage, swept wings, canted vertical tails and a dorsal engine installation. General Atomics has also adopted a modular architecture and a single turbofan engine, although detailed performance figures and weapon configurations remain only partially disclosed.
The arrival at Creech follows activities conducted in July as part of an Agile Combat Employment exercise. Ground crews worked on refueling, rearming, and returning the aircraft to flight status. A central issue is the logistical footprint. CCAs are intended to be generated by smaller teams operating from dispersed or austere locations, with support requirements lighter than those of a conventional fighter squadron. This constraint directly affects procedures, manpower requirements, and the distribution of fuel and ammunition stocks.
The concept is intended to separate part of the operational risk from the presence of a pilot. A CCA can be positioned ahead of a formation to extend sensor coverage, carry additional missiles, act as a communications relay, conduct certain electronic warfare tasks, or create additional axes of approach. When operated with F-35As, F-22As, or, in the longer term, future systems within the NGAD ecosystem, it can increase the number of sensors and effectors available to the force while complicating an adversary’s tactical picture. The intended effect depends less on a single platform than on the combined use of multiple aircraft, their payloads, weapons, and secure data links.
At the operational level, Creech will be used to determine whether this approach remains viable as constraints accumulate. Sortie generation from several bases, rapid maintenance, communications security, coordination with crewed aircraft and weapons availability can all limit the actual output of a CCA force. An architecture designed to provide greater combat mass has sustained operational value only if industry can deliver airframes, engines, electronic components and munitions at the rate required by a high-intensity conflict.
The employment model pursued by the US Air Force is already reflected in the missions assigned to both programs. The Fury is being developed to operate alongside F-22A and F-35A fighters as well as future NGAD systems, with roles including air combat support, intelligence collection, electronic warfare, and communications relay. The YFQ-42A is intended for missions that include escorting crewed fighters, forward sensing, ISR, electronic warfare, communications relay, and support to air superiority operations. The US objective is therefore to add platforms to crewed formations that can carry sensors, weapons, and selected higher-risk tasks while remaining integrated into the command-and-control network. Testing at Creech is intended to determine how this combination can operate from dispersed bases with smaller teams before any broader operational fielding.
Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition GroupErwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests include security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
The US Air Force has received its first two Collaborative Combat Aircraft at Creech Air Force Base, where the YFQ-44A Fury and YFQ-42A Vengeance will enter operational experimentation with the Experimental Operations Unit. The move brings both platforms into a new phase focused on how uncrewed semi-autonomous aircraft can operate alongside crewed combat aircraft in contested environments.
Anduril delivered the YFQ-44A Fury and General Atomics delivered the YFQ-42A Vengeance to Creech Air Force Base in Nevada for testing under Air Combat Command. The aircraft will refine employment concepts, assess integration with piloted platforms, and determine how Collaborative Combat Aircraft could be incorporated into future combat operations.
Related News: Anduril YFQ-44A Fury Flies in Formation With F-35s During U.S. Air Force Autonomous Combat Aircraft Testing
The General Atomics YFQ-42A top and Anduril YFQ-44A Fury bottom are the two Collaborative Combat Aircraft selected for the U.S. Air Force CCA Increment 1 program and are now entering operational experimentation. (Picture source: US DoD)
The US Air Force is seeking to place the platforms in the hands of operators at an early stage rather than wait for a fully fixed configuration, then adjust doctrine, support arrangements and mission architecture based on accumulated experience. The Experimental Operations Unit is tasked with determining how CCAs will be organized, maintained, armed and controlled within a force structure combining crewed fighters, command assets and distributed sensors.
In an announcement published on September 24, 2026, the US Air Force said this new phase is intended to let operators evaluate both platforms directly under conditions representative of future air operations. The YFQ-44A Fury already offers a flight envelope close to that of a light combat aircraft. Classified as a US Group 5 air vehicle, it is powered by a single jet engine, can reach speeds of up to Mach 0.95, and is designed to withstand load factors of up to 9 g. Its open and modular architecture allows the integration of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance payloads, electronic warfare equipment and communications relay systems. The Lattice for Mission Autonomy software manages functions including navigation, route planning, tactical information sharing and coordination between multiple aircraft.
Weapons integration provides another indication of the program’s maturity. On July 15, 2026, the Fury conducted a live launch of an AIM-120 AMRAAM after receiving a digital target track, with final engagement authorization provided by an operator. Publicly observed configurations show two underwing pylons, each capable of carrying an AIM-120 or a CATM-120C training missile. The CCA can therefore increase the number of air-to-air weapons available to a formation without adding another crewed fighter. The YFQ-42A follows a different design approach. Its airframe places greater emphasis on reduced observability, with a blended fuselage, swept wings, canted vertical tails and a dorsal engine installation. General Atomics has also adopted a modular architecture and a single turbofan engine, although detailed performance figures and weapon configurations remain only partially disclosed.
The arrival at Creech follows activities conducted in July as part of an Agile Combat Employment exercise. Ground crews worked on refueling, rearming, and returning the aircraft to flight status. A central issue is the logistical footprint. CCAs are intended to be generated by smaller teams operating from dispersed or austere locations, with support requirements lighter than those of a conventional fighter squadron. This constraint directly affects procedures, manpower requirements, and the distribution of fuel and ammunition stocks.
The concept is intended to separate part of the operational risk from the presence of a pilot. A CCA can be positioned ahead of a formation to extend sensor coverage, carry additional missiles, act as a communications relay, conduct certain electronic warfare tasks, or create additional axes of approach. When operated with F-35As, F-22As, or, in the longer term, future systems within the NGAD ecosystem, it can increase the number of sensors and effectors available to the force while complicating an adversary’s tactical picture. The intended effect depends less on a single platform than on the combined use of multiple aircraft, their payloads, weapons, and secure data links.
At the operational level, Creech will be used to determine whether this approach remains viable as constraints accumulate. Sortie generation from several bases, rapid maintenance, communications security, coordination with crewed aircraft and weapons availability can all limit the actual output of a CCA force. An architecture designed to provide greater combat mass has sustained operational value only if industry can deliver airframes, engines, electronic components and munitions at the rate required by a high-intensity conflict.
The employment model pursued by the US Air Force is already reflected in the missions assigned to both programs. The Fury is being developed to operate alongside F-22A and F-35A fighters as well as future NGAD systems, with roles including air combat support, intelligence collection, electronic warfare, and communications relay. The YFQ-42A is intended for missions that include escorting crewed fighters, forward sensing, ISR, electronic warfare, communications relay, and support to air superiority operations. The US objective is therefore to add platforms to crewed formations that can carry sensors, weapons, and selected higher-risk tasks while remaining integrated into the command-and-control network. Testing at Creech is intended to determine how this combination can operate from dispersed bases with smaller teams before any broader operational fielding.
Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests include security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.
